news November 2-8, 2022 Smoky Mountain News 10
American hero starts new chapter at SCC-PSTC A rin Canon doesn’t utilize the parking spot reserved for veterans at Southwestern Community College’s Public Safety Training Center. The retired Army Ranger doesn’t have a whole lot to say about the silver star he earned while serving in Afghanistan. His athletic stride conceals the fact he’s an amputee, and most of his fellow recruits in SCC’s National Park Service-Park Ranger Law Enforcement Academy (NPS-PRLEA) have no idea they’re training alongside a genuine American hero. “It’s unreal for me to look at him and know what he’s been through, and what he’s seen,” said Kristopher Roberson, 31, who’s originally from Southeastern Missouri. “You can obviously see from the outside that he’s lost a limb in battle, but it’s just so impressive to see the way he goes through all of our physical training. He just never gives up, and you’d never know he’s gone through anything.” SCC has held more than 100 law enforcement academies for the Park Service since 1978. Canon is the most highly decorated military veteran ever to enroll, according to Zach Dezarn, Southwestern’s NPS-PRLEA coordinator. That made the decision to name Canon as the “Class Sergeant” — the highest rank available in the class — an easy one. “What I find so unique about the situation is how accomplished Mr. Canon is, but yet still while being so humble,” Dezarn said. “His experience and training levels are far beyond those of his peers, yet he still treats them with dignity. He coaches and works with them and has been an asset to the class … It’s a pretty special situation we’ve got with this academy.” During his 26-year military career, Canon rose to the rank of sergeant major - the highest enlisted rank. The Silver Star medal is one of the highest awards for valor that can be bestowed on a member of the U.S. Military. Canon received his for actions he took during his first rotation to Afghanistan shortly after 9/11. “There was an incident where we had a Navy SEAL who was separated from his team, and I was one of the leaders of the quick reactionary force that went in to rescue him,” Canon said. “At that point in the
war, it was the longest sustained combat that the U.S. had been in since Mogadishu. I hate to sound cliché, but it was kind of a ‘baptism by fire’ for us as people and us as a nation.” Canon began his military service after graduating from his Florida high school in 1996, and his first assignment was to the 1st Ranger Battalion in the 75th Ranger Regiment. His first deployment was in December 2001, and he continued along in Army Special Forces command for the last 24 years of his military career. His deployments were to the Middle East, North Africa and Europe. “That’s as deep into that as I can get,” he said. Asked how he feels about the state of the country he’s served, protected and defended for the better part of three decades, After more than two decades of serving in some of the Army’s most elite Special Operations Forces, Canon said, “I’m as red-blooded as retired Sgt. Maj. Arin Canon (right) is the Class Sergeant for SCC’s current National Park Service-Park an American can be. The things Ranger Law Enforcement Academy in Franklin. we have to keep in perspective are that we have access to information notch,” Canon said. “I’ve been involved in at a greater rate and accessibility that no one Roberson said. “I mean, look at Canon and some other locations and other schooling, all the stuff he went through. I feel like if we else has ever had in history. So I don’t think and I think the passion of the instructors (fellow recruits) are ever in a fight for our things are vastly different from previous here – and the facility – are all in the top lives in the real world, he’s probably sometimes in our history. I just think it’s more in level of what I’ve experienced before.” body who’s going to pop in our minds and our face. The more that we look inward and Likewise, members of Southwestern’s be like, ‘You’re not out of it. Get up.’ He’s take care of our neighbors, and affect the Public Safety Training team have been things you have control over and let that rip- just a really good role model and mentor pleased to have someone with Canon’s backthroughout this class.” ple out – the better off we’ll be.” ground participating as a recruit. Now 45, Canon retired from a 26-year Canon injured his lower right leg on a “Our team is always honored to serve military career this past summer. Soon after, battlefield in 2008 and continued to operate those who serve,” said Curtis Dowdle, SCC’s he enrolled in Southwestern’s Park Ranger for another decade despite the pain and Dean of Public Safety Training. “We are academy. physical limitations that followed. “There are certain people that have a call- especially honored to serve our Finally, in 2018, he underwent an ampuveterans. Having a recruit in our academy of ing and find that they have a knack for tation to remove the injured portion of his Mr. Canon’s caliber is humbling and inspirsomething,” he said. “And also, I’m not the leg below the knee. He now uses a prostheting, not only for other recruits, but our ‘sit in a cubicle’ or ‘sit on the front porch’ ic, which has actually bolstered his mobility. PSTC Team as a whole as to our mission in guy. My sons (ages 5 and 7) are both young, He starts working out at 5 a.m. daily and so the ability to be in beautiful, idyllic nature delivering “Excellence does a full Crossfit training as well as physithrough Training” to our public safety procal therapy before undergoing the academy’s settings while being a benefit to the Park fessionals.” Service and letting my sons grow up in that rigorous daily regimen. For more information about His perseverance and humility inspire fel- environment is appealing to me.” Southwestern and all the programs it offers, He has high praise for the training SCC low recruits like Roberson. visit www.SouthwesternCC.edu, call provides at the Public Safety Training “It just keeps you striving for more and 828.339.4000 or drop by your nearest SCC Center. lets you know that when you get in a situalocation. “[Southwestern’s NPS-PRLEA] is toption, you are never out of the fight,”
Experts explain IRS’s data security plan template, how tax pros should use it in preparation for 2023 tax season Anyone renewing their preparer tax identification number (PTIN) for 2023 will be asked to attest to their data security responsibility and whether they are aware of their obligation to have a data security plan in place to provide protections for all taxpayer information. Last month, the IRS released a template for tax preparers to use after many requests for more information following
the announcement of the data security plan requirement in 2020. Experts at the National Association of Tax Professionals and Drake Software, who both have served on the IRS Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee (ETAAC), convened last month to discuss the long-awaited IRS guidance, the pros and cons of the IRS’s template and the risks of not having a data security plan. “Being able to share my experience from serving on ETAAC to help tax preparers in advance of the coming season was rewarding, but I also believe it is crucial for preparers to understand the seriousness of this topic and how detrimental it could be to their firm and their clients if they don’t have a data security plan in place,” Larry Gray, NATP’s government liaison, said. Gray served on ETAAC, IRPAC,
IRSAC and the IRS’s Commissioner’s Advisory Group working to amplify the importance of data security. The group also discussed in the virtual roundtable the background of the IRS Security Summit and how the IRS came to release a sample written information security plan (WISP). “This is such an important topic, and one that preparers will have to grapple with in the coming years, if they haven’t already,” said Jared Ballew, director of government relations for Drake Software. “Data is now a currency and having a plan in place to protect their clients is critical for tax preparers as we prepare for the 2023 tax season.” This discussion is available now for tax preparers to watch for free in preparation of the 2023 tax season. Tax preparers must renew their PTIN by Dec. 31 each year.